THE DEATH OF THE TESTATOR.
“FOR where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.” The death of the testator establishes, confirms, the testament or will, and fixes its provisions,—makes them forever sure and unalterable. Whatever change is to be made in the terms or provisions of the testament, must therefore be made before the testator dies. The death of Jesus, the Maker of the new or everlasting covenant, established beyond any possibility of change every term and provision of that covenant. From the manner in which some have reasoned, it would almost appear as tho they thought the New Testament was not made until the death of Christ. A man’s will or testament can hardly be made after his death! The terms of the new or everlasting covenant, with its object, were determined in eternity before, as we have seen, and were known from the beginning of creation by every intelligent being whenever the time for their unfoldment arrived. It required the death of the Maker of those terms and provisions to make them everlastingly sure. Established by His Death.
The death of Jesus established the covenant-testament, because that death was a victory over the devil, and sin, and death, for Jesus Himself, and through Him for all who ever believed in God, and in His plan for saving sinners, and whoever would believe in that plan. The plan rested on the victory of Jesus. That plan was all in the covenant-testament from the beginning, and the object of all was the establishing of everlasting righteousness, with all its blessings. It meant the redemption and restoration of the lost dominion of earth, the redemption and salvation of believers from Adam to the end of the ages, and the perpetuation of eternal life to every intelligent being in the universe outside of the earth, who were also included in the covenant, but who had not broken it. The Significance of the Testator’s Death.
The victorious death of the Testator meant that His own divine character and the character of the Father were vindicated. We have learned in other studies that that character was revealed in this everlasting covenant-testament in the facts of creation, and is expressed in words in the law of God. It is at this point that the significance of the death of Jesus appears, as related to the law of Ten Commandments and the Sabbath. Inasmuch as the death of the Testator establishes and fixes the terms and conditions of the everlasting covenant-testament, and the everlasting covenant-testament is expressed in the positive principles and statements of the Ten-Commandment law, this law is therefore established by the death of the Testator beyond possibility of change. Unless this law was changed before the death of the Testator, it stands unaltered forever by reason of the foregoing facts. And why should it not stand, seeing it is the expression of the character of our Creator-Redeemer? There is no question about it in most minds, except over the Sabbath commandment. But unless a change was made before the Cross, and by the Testator Himself, the seventh-day Sabbath must stand with the rest of the testament. What was the example and teaching of Jesus Himself in regard to the question? He was accused of being a Sabbath-breaker. But in every case He made it very plain that He was not breaking the Sabbath, as He had ordained it to be kept. He did condemn the traditions that had placed burdens upon the people in its observance, and taught that it was the will of God that it should be a day of delight and joy and soul-rest in doing good. He was accused of speaking against the law and the prophets. But He said: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Not Abolished, but Magnified.
Why should it pass away or be destroyed, seeing it represented the divine character revealed in creation and in redemption? How could it, in part or in whole, be altered or destroyed without changing the elementary provisions of the everlasting covenant-testament, which was altogether good, and could not be changed without altering the revelation of divinity? It was based on the facts and principles of creation and redemption, and how could Jesus have changed or destroyed it without changing some of those facts, which it would be impossible to do? Jesus, the Creator, was perfect and good altogether; Jesus, the Redeemer, was good and perfect altogether. In Him was the fulness of the Godhead manifested. In Him was represented every good gift to His creatures. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Why should there be a change of Sabbath or law? No; instead of changing or destroying the law, Jesus magnified it, and applied it in practise as it had not been applied by the scribes and Pharisees. It has been urged that redemption is greater than creation, and therefore the day on which Jesus rose from the dead should be honored as the memorial of Redemption. A moment’s thought will show that redemption involves creative power, and is therefore creation in a re-creation. This point has been studied at length in this series. The everlasting covenant-testament is wrapped up in creation, and the redemptive element is an integral part of the covenant from beginning to end. Redemption can not be separated from creation, and we have clearly shown that the Sabbath—the emblem of eternal rest—is the sign and memorial both of creation and redemption. The Bible nowhere teaches, not even by implication, that the first day of the week is to be observed as a memorial of the resurrection. No sacred significance whatever is attached to that day of the week any more than to Friday, the day on which the Saviour was crucified. The facts of the Saviour’s death and resurrection are commemorated, as to their significance, in the Lord’s Supper, and in the rite of baptism, but there is no teaching respecting the observance of days in connection with these rites and ceremonies. If the day of Jesus’ resurrection is worthy of special honor, then certainly is also the day of His death, for if there had not been a triumphant death, there would have been no resurrection. One is as important as the other, and just as significant. No Substitute Sabbath Possible.
As stated, the record is silent on the point of first-day observance, for really there is nothing to be said. The fact, however, which determines the principle upon which the question rests, is that of the testament and the death of the Testator, and what that death signified relative to the New Testament. As the seventh-day Sabbath was and is an integral part of this testament, and no change was made by the Testator before His death, and there is no instruction concerning a change, His death confirmed and fixed the point forever. The final record on this question at the time of His death is that the disciples, after the burial of the Saviour, returned and rested on the Sabbath, “according to the commandment,” and after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week drew on, they came again to the sepulcher. Luke 23:56, etc. The application of this principle also excludes the suggestion that one sometimes hears, that, while there is no positive teaching or command for the change, there were subtle hints looking toward a change; that love looked forward to the new dispensation with a special token of regard for the Master, and that probably full instructions were given to the disciples and believers respecting this matter by the Saviour11during the forty days in which He met with them after His resurrection. No! Such suggestions are not in harmony with the Lord’s Word. Quite impossible for the testament to be changed after the death of the Testator. No! The terms of that testament are based on unchangeable facts, and permit no thought of such a suggestion. The truth is far better than a supposition, especially a supposition with no foundation. Obedience the Test of Love.
And then, too, what higher honor can possibly be given to the Master than the honor given Him in the Sabbath ordained by Him, and kept by Him in harmony with the abiding principles enunciated by Him all the way from the beginning, looking forward to His mission on earth as Man? What higher expression of love does He ask for than for us to welcome Him into our very lives, and follow in His footsteps? The New Testament, the everlasting purpose of Jesus Himself, is the very quintessence of the law of love. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This is what Jesus did to establish the promises and conditions and terms of the everlasting covenant-testament. “Come unto Me . . . and . . . rest,” He said. And in order that we might enter securely into rest, He died. The depth of meaning attaching to the Sabbath of that testament grows. That is the day of which Jesus is Lord. That is the day that was made for man. By His own example Jesus showed us how to use the day in order to make it a delight and a joy. Let us, in loving obedience, give Him the honor due Him as Creator-Redeemer. (The next article in the series is entitled, “Sabbath and Sunday.”)